In this brief (80 pages of text) presentation of his dissertation research, Larrison (social work, U. of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign) describes findings linked to his field research in villages in Veracruz, Mexico. The theory, method, and effectiveness of top-down versus bottom-up development are described at length. The approaches of several organizations involved in rural development in Mexico are then described more briefly. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Katalog dobrih praks participativnega urbanega kmetijstva naslavlja nekaj glavnih izzivov občin, regij in držav v Podonavju, povezanih z upadom zmogljivosti javnih organov za uporabo participativnega pristopa v načrtovanju. Predstavljene so konkretne izkušnje z razvijanjem participativnega urbanega kmetijstva, ki so vplivale na izboljšanje javnih storitev, spodbujale aktivnejše državljanstvo, krepile sodelovanje javnosti in prispevale k trajnostnemu razvoju mest. Knjižica prinaša konceptualni premislek o urbanem kmetijstvu in njegovo sistematizacijo; analizo političnega okvira, ki podpira participativno urbano kmetijstvo v Podonavju; pregled evropskih programov in projektov, ki razvijajo urbano kmetijstvo in se posvečajo enakim ciljem kot projekt AgriGo4Cities; in predstavitev izbranih dobrih praks participativnega urbanega kmetijstva, katerih namen je predstaviti možne pristope k vzpostavljanju uspešnih participativnih vrtov. Katalog naslavlja raziskovalce, odločevalce in civilno družbo, ki jih zanimajo urbano kmetijstvo, participativno načrtovanje, družbeno vključevanje in trajnostni razvoj.

This book provides an overview of recent advances in Integrated Community-Managed Development (ICMD) as an innovative strategy for the community-based development of local institutions in order to achieve lasting poverty reduction and empowerment. The original approach presented here to improving the lives and livelihoods of the poor takes a critical stance on the failing concept of conventional community development, as it is based on the shifting paradigm of 'bottom-up' cooperation and development, where recent regional autonomy policies are enabling national services to successfully integrate with local institutions at the community level. Based on recent experiences in South-East Asia, where the implementation of an alternative approach to integrating financial, medical, educational, communication and socio-cultural services has led to increased community participation and impressive poverty reduction, the book highlights the theoretical, methodological and practical aspects of this innovative strategy. The potential offered by applying the newly developed 'ICMD formula' worldwide as a function of themes, principles and services is reflected in the book’s diverse range of contributions, written by respected researchers and practitioners in the fields of development economics and financial management.

This edited volume examines child exploitation in the Global South. It introduces several case studies and interviews articulated around two features: exploitation within the family and exploitation in relation to social contexts. The research shows that both of the features are linked and, generally, they are not separate. It makes several important arguments which challenge the most common view on how children are perceived and exploited in Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East. Additionally, it explores the social representation of exploited children as well as their general well-being.

This book focuses on a series of indigenista novels of Chiapas, Mexico published between 1957 and 1994 and examines these works of fiction as mirrors of important social, political, and economic realities plaguing contemporary Mexican society, in particular Chiapas. From this narrative sequence, a liberationist discourse emerges that reflects the ideas of Liberation Theology and its approach to the plight of the poor. The authors portray a set of obstacles that impede the liberation process and, in doing so, project movement toward the authentic liberation of the native inhabitants of their novels. Through the theoretical framework of liberation thought, this book shows how literature, specifically the novel, can transcend the boundaries of genre and transform itself into a participant in the debate on multiethnic identity in Mexico. With the 1994 uprising led by the Zapatista Army of National Liberation, Chiapas has become a global symbol for marginalized voices that struggle to gain a legitimate space in Mexican society. The novels treated in the book outline the context which led to the -YA BASTA! of the EZLN.The content is presented within an interdisciplinary context and, therefore, is attractive to a variety of fields.